By Peter Spiegel in London
Published: January 17 2005 09:01 | Last updated: January 17 2005 19:55
Posted on 01/17/2005 3:58:31 PM PST by Happy2BMe
Pentagon lashes out at Iran claim
By Peter Spiegel in London
Published: January 17 2005 09:01 | Last updated: January 17 2005 19:55
Pentagon officials on Monday lashed out at a US magazine report which claimed they were preparing for possible strikes on Iran by carrying out secret reconnaissance missions inside the country, saying the article contained "fantastic claims" about programmes that do not exist.
The article, written by veteran investigative reporter Seymour Hersh for The New Yorker magazine, claims that President George W. Bush plans to drastically expand the war on terrorism, and has already signed executive orders authorising secret commando operations against terrorist targets in as many as ten middle eastern and south Asian nations, including Iran.
The Iranian operation, which the article claims has been underway since last summer, intends to identify as many three dozen Iranian military or nuclear sites for US missile attacks or commando raids.
Lawrence DiRita, the Pentagon's chief spokesman, said in a statement on Monday that many of the facts upon which the story is based are inaccurate. Neither he nor Dan Bartlett, the White House spokesman, commented directly on the commando operations claim, however.
"Mr Hirsch's sources feed him with rumour, innuendo, and assertions about meetings that never happened, programmes that do not exist, and statements by officials that were never made," the Mr DiRita said.
It is rare for the Pentagon to issue such a long and detailed response to a single news account; Mr DiRita's two-page statement includes four specific refutations of claims made in the piece, including an alleged post-election meeting between Donald Rumsfeld and the joint chiefs of staff in which the defence secretary claimed the 2004 US election was a referendum on aggressive action in the Middle East.
It is also rare that defence officials single out a specific journalist for such vitriol. In one part of his statement, Mr DiRita appears to accuse Mr Hersh of anti-Semitism. Mr Hersh reported that Douglas Feith, the number three civilian at the Pentagon, has worked with Israeli military planners to find targets in Iran, a claim the Pentagon said built on "the soft bigotry of some conspiracy theorists". Mr Feith is Jewish. The Pentagon said not such contacts exist.
Despite the denials, European diplomats, who are currently engaged in negotiations with Iran to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions, were startled by the report, saying that in private discussions US officials have strongly backed the European initiative.
"No one can say if this is correct or incorrect," said one European Union diplomat. "The US administration has never shared any information like this with us. On the contrary, in our last meetings, it has supported EU policy on Iran."
Among the allegations specifically refuted by the Pentagon is a claim that two senior Pentagon officials - one military and one civilian - have been inserted into the chain of command for commando operations. "His assertion is outrageous, and constitutionally specious."
For the record - we are not doing anything in Iran.
Hersh's best days (if they ever really existed) are past. His gig now is to have one of his buddies call him up on the phone, pretend to be a 'high ranking pentagon official' or whatever Hersh needs for a story, his pal tells him whatever Hersh has already scripted out, then he presents the fabrication as a big expose'.
Hersh is a fraud and a phony, Jimmy Breslin minus the bourbon.
If we were the whole world could tell by the BLAST we would be having doing the job right this time.
I think Mr Seymour has us confused with the Israelis.
One is an American Indian passing through from Lame Deer... another is a Cowboy on his way to Billings for a livestock show and the third passenger is a fundamentalist Arab student, newly arrived at Montana State University from the Middle East.
Their discussion drifts to their diverse cultures.
Soon, the two Westerners learn that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim and the conversation falls into an uneasy lull.
The cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazinetable and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face.
The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around, and the old windsock is flapping; but still no plane comes.
Finally, the American Indian clears his throat and softly he speaks, At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few."
The Muslim student raises an eyebrow and leans forward, "Once my people were few," he sneers, "and now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?"
The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth and from the darkness beneath his Stetson says in a drawl...
"That's 'cause we ain't played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it's a-comin'."
Do you know how to tell if U.S. has had spies in IRAN? Look for bullseyes on the bathroom doors! Remember the bomming Iraq took in the bathrooms?
great joke!
Love it, come on Hersh disinform the baddies until their head spins.
HaHaHaHaHa
This is one of the few times that I both hope the government is lying and would support them if they are.
Welcome to FR!
Great stuff, I can't stop laughing!
I long for the days of "Loose lips sink ships"
I don't know what Hersh's problem is. If I found out that there were NO covert operations in Iran, er.....make that every threatening/terroristic country in the world.....I would be upset.
For the record - we are not doing anything in Iran.
Yep. Begging us.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
